French police 'hero' dies of wounds

[Jimbuna]

A French police officer who swapped himself for a hostage in a supermarket siege on Friday has died, officials say.

Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame, 44, "fell as a hero" and showed "exceptional courage", French President Emmanuel Macron said.

The gendarme helped bring an end to a gunman's shooting spree that killed three in southern France.

The radical Islamist gunman, 25-year-old Redouane Lakdim, was shot dead as police brought the siege to an end.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-43525267

~SALUTE~

[Eichhörnchen]

Yes indeed... a hero in every sense

[Onkel Neal]

Damn, bad news

[Commander Wallace]

i'm sorry to hear that French Police Officer, Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame lost his life defending the life of someone else. As Eichhörnchen already said, a hero in every sense.

[Méo]

Originally Posted by Commander Wallace

i'm sorry to hear that French Police Officer, Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame lost his life defending the life of someone else. As Eichhörnchen already said, a hero in every sense.

Well said.

The least we can say is that he didn't die as the result of a lack of courage...

[Commander Wallace]

Originally Posted by Méo

Well said.

The least we can say is that he didn't die as the result of a lack of courage...

Well said as well, Meo. Police officers like Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame that brought courage and integrity to their official position are rare indeed. His real value was the example he demonstrated and showed of a life lived with honor and selflessness.


Condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Beltrame.

[Eichhörnchen]

These days it seems that someone only has to beat a few other people in some cycle races or swimming events to be lauded as a "hero"... which devalues the currency of the word. It should be a sacred word, reserved only for those who truly deserve it, like Lt.Col Beltrame

[_dgn_]

An important remark : Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame wasn't a simple "police officer", but an Officer in the "Gendarmerie Nationale", a French mixture of military police (on Army grounds, barracks, air bases, vessels ...), of "Prévôté" (law enforcement, near to "provost" in English) during war or external operations, and, finally, of countryside security forces.

"Gendarmerie Nationale" is regarded as an elite branch of the French Army, "elite" because constituted only of Army Officers and NCOs (no privates as in Infantry, Artillery ... or in the French police). Each Gendarme (Officer or NCO) has moreover judicial powers (not the same case with all French policers).

Gendarmerie deals also with security of French embassies (Marines for US embassies !), of airports ("Gendarmerie de l'Air" or Gendarmerie for Air Force), of harbours ("Gendarmerie Maritime" or Naval Gendarmerie) ...

In Paris, the "Garde Républicaine" or Republican Guard, belonging also to the Gendarmerie, guards inside the presidential palace, inside the "Sénat" (Senate), inside the "Assemblée Nationale" (House of Representatives), inside the "Ministère de la Défense" (war ministry) ... Policers are only outwards, in front of these buildings.

A Gendarmerie Officer has generally studied 2 years after bachelor's degree, made a success with the very difficult entrance examination (1700 candidates, 140 places) for Saint-Cyr Military School (the French equivalent of West Point), then studied here 3 other years, left with an engineer's diploma or a Master's Degree (in History or Economy, for example), naturally besides military knowledges (in particular, a certificate of Infantry Platoon Leader, a Paratrooper badge from the Airborne School at Pau, and a Commando Training badge from the National Commandos Center at Mont-Louis).

But this isn't sufficient : he must be the first ("Major" or Valedictorian) or the second (getting the best marks of all 140 young Army Officers) at the final examination of Saint-Cyr Academy (generally, there is, each year, only 1 place as Officer of Gendarmerie, just like there only, each year, 1 place as Officer of the French Foreign Legion ...). One more year (with studies of law and of criminology) in the EOGN ("Ecole d'Officiers de la Gendarmerie Nationale", or National Gendarmerie Officers Academy) at Melun, near Paris, and the young Lieutenant is finally becoming a Gendarmerie Officer.

So, it's more easier to become a "police officer" belonging to the French (or American) police, or a county sheriff !

No, a Gendarmerie Officer isn't a simple "police officer".

And Lt-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame wasn't a simple Gendarmerie Officer ...

[Eichhörnchen]

Thank you, that was very interesting indeed... I didn't know any of this

[Reece]

The radical Islamist

Typical piece of crap.

[Eichhörnchen]

Is there a link here, mate? If so then it's not working...

[Commander Wallace]

Originally Posted by _dgn_

An important remark : Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame wasn't a simple "police officer", but an Officer in the "Gendarmerie Nationale", a French mixture of military police (on Army grounds, barracks, air bases, vessels ...), of "Prévôté" (law enforcement, near to "provost" in English) during war or external operations, and, finally, of countryside security forces.

No, a Gendarmerie Officer isn't a simple "police officer".

And Lt-Colonel Arnaud Beltrame wasn't a simple Gendarmerie Officer ...

Thanks for the Information dgn. I thought the rank designation sounded military but I wasn't sure. The state police in various states in the U.S also use rank designation as in France. I know that being from France, you along with your country are feeling a profound sense of loss. Losing someone of Lt-Col Arnaud Beltrame's stature can't be easy. All we can do is offer our sincere condolences on your Country's loss.

[Jimbuna]

Originally Posted by Eichhörnchen

Is there a link here, mate? If so then it's not working...

If you are referring to the post by Reece #10 he is quoting from my quote (link posted) at #1